I apologize for not getting this out earlier; school is hectic right now.
Sadly, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon -- both the anime and manga -- will come
to an end. January 18, 1997 is when episode 200, the final episode, will
air. The manga ends after the February 1997. It looks like another chapter
in anime history will finally come to a close.
Together Once More, however, will not.
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Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars
"Together Once More"
by: Andre Garde (aj113@torfree.net)
Part Five: Counterattack
"Yes..."
A twinkling of light atop a forehead.
"I can feel it..."
The pinkish bulb of a flower burst forth.
Sailor Aluminum Siren smiled evilly to herself as she extracted the star
seed from her most recent victim, a librarian. Backing her up was Sailor
Lead Crow, who opted to terrorize the innocent civilians in the library.
"HA!" Lead Crow yelled, as she unleashed currents of energy, scattering
bystanders about. People were screaming as they rushed towards the nearest
exit, petrified of the two Sailors. Crow was merely amusing herself, but her
patience was wearing thin. "Siren, have you got that damn thing yet?"
Just then, the delicate flower atop the librarian's forehead opened,
revealing the shiny, crystal-like star seed. Siren smiled evilly. She hoped
it was the one. But the dazzling light coming from the star seed disappeared
as fast as it came, the blackness spreading all throughout. Uniformly black
now, Siren knew it was as useless as the pathetic human before her.
"Wretched fool," she said aloud. "It's not the one, Crow. Let's get
out of here." They turned to go, but a voice stopped them in the middle of
their tracks.
"HOLD IT!"
"Bah, who is it now?" Crow spat. Seeing no one in the immediate
vicinity, they shrugged in unison. Then, the light reflecting off of some-
thing metallic caught Siren's eye. She looked up and steeled herself for the
inevitable.
Sailors Mercury, Mars, Neptune, and Saturn each stood atop a bookshelf,
looking down on the enemy Sailor Senshi. Mercury pointed a finger at the
two. "Stealing the star seed of one who works at the most important resource
of accumulated lore, I won't forgive you! In the name of Mercury!"
"Mars!"
"Neptune!"
"And Saturn!"
"WE'LL PUNISH YOU!"
Saturn pointed her Silence Glaive menacingly at Lead Crow and Aluminum
Siren. Neptune produced her talisman mirror. "Surrender now," Neptune said
to them. "We'll only give you one chance. You had better use it."
"Fools," Siren said nastily. "You're no match for us. Not even that
angelic airhead of yours, Sailor Moon, is here to help you! DIE!" She let
loose an energy beam at Neptune, Lead Crow following suit and firing a bolt
of energy at Mercury. The Sailors jumped from the bookcases just as the
shots raced past them, and landed on the ground. They recovered quickly, for
they knew that Crow and Siren would try to get every advantage on them they
could.
"MARS... FLAME... SNIPER!"
A fiery arrow which seemed to scream as it flew through the air speeded
itself in the direction of the enemy Sailors. Crow and Siren readied them-
selves, preparing to dodge the arrow, but they saw that it wasn't going to
hit them. They stared in wonder as it fell short, and promptly shielded
their eyes as waist-high flames burst forth and encircled them. The single
moment of surprise was all Mercury and Neptune needed.
"MERCURY... AQUA... RHAPSODY!"
"DEEP... SUBMERGE!"
Angry tendrils of water rushed forth to meet Siren and Crow, blasting
them backwards off their feet. The fires of the Flame Sniper arrow blast had
been extinguished by the sheer volume of water. Siren and Crow got up from
the floor, groggy still, but regained their composure.
Sailor Lead Crow gritted her teeth. "We're outnumbered, we have to
retreat."
"We can't," Sailor Aluminum Siren countered. "Galaxia will have our
heads for this." She looked back to the four other Senshi, who were
approaching ever so slowly towards them. "Then again, let's make a break for
it!" Siren turned, grabbing Lead Crow by the arm and rushing for the exit.
A streak of red stopped them yet again; a rose was embedded in the floor of
the library. Their escape was blocked.
Leaning casually against one side of the exit, with arms crossed, was
Tuxedo Kamen. Leaning against the other side, was Eternal Sailor Moon.
"Going somewhere?" Tuxedo Kamen asked.
Siren and Crow were shocked. They moved to stand back to back, Crow
facing the four Senshi and Siren facing the new pair. "I don't know who you
are, Cape Boy, but you had best get out of our way!" She was about to say
something more when Lead Crow tapped her on the shoulder and she turned
around. Both enemy Senshi grinned maliciously.
"What are they looking at..." Tuxedo Kamen started, but he was forced to
gape at the large mass approaching the other four Senshi from the rear. What
was it that Sailor Moon said to him? Something about people with the star
seeds turning into monsters?
Sailor Moon noticed it too. She tried to warn her fellow Senshi. "GUYS
LOOK OUT!!!" she shouted.
Too little, too late. Sailor Librarian had already gotten the jump on
Mercury, Neptune, and the rest. Giant-sized textbooks slammed into their
backs, and they were flung to the ground. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen rose
to meet the new monster head on, giving time for Siren and Crow to escape.
Their laughter echoed throughout the library as they vanished.
Meanwhile, Sailor Librarian was unleashing follow-up attacks on the
Sailor Senshi. Tuxedo Kamen ordered everyone back to safer ground behind the
cover of desks and other bookcases. "Got a plan, Sailor Moon?" he asked.
She looked over to the other Senshi. Mercury, nursing a bruised arm.
Mars and Neptune looking winded, and Saturn looking as though she could use
a new sailor fuku. She rested upon her glaive, leaning against a bookshelf.
"Not the usual lineup," Sailor Moon said to herself, "but it will have
to do." She reached for her communicator and signaled for the other Senshi.
Hopefully, they'd get her distress call and rush to the library immediately.
Assuming, of course, the others and herself could last that long against the
librarian. She looked back to Tuxedo Kamen. "I've called the others. Think
we can wait for them to come?"
"Do I have to answer that?" He ducked as another flying novel flew past
his head. "Forget it, we'll have to take this thing out ourselves." He
sprinted out to meet Sailor Librarian, and jumped high into the air. At the
peak of his arc, he threw almost a half-dozen roses at him. The monster
winced in pain as four of the six roses buried themselves in its thick torso.
Seeing this, Sailor Neptune rose to the occasion.
"SUBMARINE... REFLECTION!"
A blue-green streak of energy blasted the librarian off his feet, but
only for an instant. The five Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen bunched together for
group attack, but the librarian proved the quicker, launching razor sharp
spikes at them.
"SILENCE... BLOCK!"
Raising her glaive in the air, Sailor Saturn created an invisible energy
shield. The spikes bounced harmlessly off the protective barrier, dropping
to the floor. She turned to Sailor Moon, fatigue in her eyes. "I don't know
how much longer we can keep this up, Sailor Moon."
She started to reply, when Sailor Librarian blasted them all backwards
against a wall, even Tuxedo Kamen. Ignoring the pain, he tried to rise, and
see if Sailor Moon was all right. "A little dazed," he thought, "but other-
wise fine." The rest started to get up and brace for another attack. Tuxedo
Kamen and Sailor Neptune got in front, shielding everyone with their bodies.
Only looks of determination and courage were visible on their faces. Sailor
Librarian raised his hand once more to strike a death blow. Sailor Moon shut
her eyes.
But it never came. Instead...
"WORLD... SHAKING!"
"DEAD... SCREAM!"
"JUPITER... OAK... EVOLUTION!"
"VENUS... LOVE AND BEAUTY... SHOCK!"
Four simultaneous energy discharges slammed into the body of the
librarian. Venus wasted no time. "Sailor Moon, do it!"
She rose to her feet, ignoring the pain in her back and neck.
"STARLIGHT HONEYMOON... THERAPY... KISS!"
In a flash of pink light, the librarian was turned back into his normal
human form. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, pausing to wipe the sweat
from their brows.
"Took you long enough!" Mars panted, almost out of breath.
Venus winked. "Sorry! Mako-chan and I were with Taiki and Yaten, and
they had this really great sale on at--ungh!" Sailor Jupiter elbowed her in
the midsection and tried to remain calm. The other Senshi groaned. Then,
Sailor Moon noticed that Tuxedo Kamen had a look of disgust on his face.
"What's wrong, Tuxedo Kamen?" she asked.
"Cape Boy," he muttered. "EVERYONE we fight calls me that."
The Sailor Team, even Sailor Moon, burst out laughing.
"No respect," Tuxedo Kamen grumbled.
--
That night, the girls, the cats, and Mamoru gathered at the usual
meeting place, Rei's temple. Usagi seemed permanently attached to Mamoru's
arm, but he didn't mind it at all. Likewise with Michiru and Haruka, who had
worked out their differences prior to the events of the day.
"Lovers quarrel," Makoto said earlier, before Michiru and Haruka arrived
at the meeting. Everyone brought their hands to their mouths and stared at
her in shock. "Mako-chan!"
"What, what!?"
"Ecchi!"
"That's terrible!"
"Who, me?"
After everyone arrived and settled down, Artemis and Luna called for
everyone's attention.
"All right," Luna began, "so Usagi, you say that the Sailor at the
library was stronger than all the other ones we've faced so far?"
Usagi nodded. Ami spoke up, "Yes, the librarian has been the most
powerful Sailor created by either Siren or Crow, even Iron Mouse. It took
all ten of us to defeat it. I'd say that Galaxia's getting close to finding
the star seed that she wants. If she can afford to use so much on the
Sailors alone, then she must think that she has enough energy to complete her
mission. If I'm right..."
"...then we're in for some more of those stronger Sailors," Artemis
finished for her. Everyone knew what that meant. It would take all nine of
the Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen to beat their newer opponents. And this was just
the beginning. There would no doubt be more bigger and stronger opponents
down the road ahead, and the Sailor Team couldn't be together all the time.
"Strange though," Rei said. "The Starlights didn't show up this time.
I wonder..."
"We can't expect those three to help us," Haruka added quickly. "We
can't trust them either. They may be Sailor Senshi, but they're aren't one
of us." The rest nodded in agreement, and only Usagi looked downcast. "I
say we take out this Galaxia now, while we have strength in numbers."
"Easy for you to say, Haruka-san," Rei added. "You weren't subject to
flying dictionaries today. Right, Ami?" She elbowed her on the arm, and Ami
let out a yell, clutching the limb which was still bruised. "Oops, gomen,"
laughed Rei nervously.
Minako entered the discussion by pointing out that they hadn't even seen
Galaxia's true power yet, nor Galaxia herself. Hotaru backed her up. "The
enemy Senshi are getting stronger. Galaxia is the threat, and we must find
and eliminate that threat before these newer Senshi can overwhelm us."
"Perhaps a reconnaissance would be best then," Setsuna said, "in force I
mean. We should try to tag along with Siren or Crow when thet try to escape
in their telephone booth."
"That might work, but how do we know we'll ever be able to get back from
wherever that thing takes us?" Makoto warned.
"What's worse, how are we going to get into that thing in the first
place!" Minako added.
"Why can't we all just squish in the box at one time? It might take us
directly to Galaxia's place." Usagi said.
Everyone had the look on their face that read "I question your sanity."
"Usako," Mamoru said gently, "maybe it's best if we just listen."
So the debate went on, arguments went back and forth, until everyone
finally agreed to a single plan. If Siren and Crow struck again, all the
Senshi except Uranus and Mercury would fight against the Sailor created by
them. Mercury, with Uranus as escort, would scan the phone booth just before
Siren and Crow stepped in to leave. Hopefully, with enough data, Mercury
could pinpoint a destination where the Sailor Team could investigate or tele-
port to. Failing that, the next time the Senshi faced the two enemy sailors,
they'd be playing for keeps.
Usagi was uneasy about the whole idea, but saw no other alternative. A
reassuring hand placed on her shoulder by Setsuna gave her a little strength.
The Outer Senshi left to call it a day, leaving the original Sailor Team
along with Mamoru at Rei's temple. They kept their peace as they heard
Haruka's sports car rumble off into the night. After a few minutes of con-
versation about schoolwork, Minako, Makoto, and Ami decided to leave. They
said their goodbyes, and left the temple. Rei, Usagi, and Mamoru watched
them walk down the long flight of steps.
"Well," Rei said finally, "maybe I'd better leave you two lovebirds
alone then, huh?"
Mamoru and Usagi looked embarassed. "Uh, well no, see, we could
just..." They broke out into a chorus of nervous laughter.
"Good night guys, just close the door when you're done." She winked and
left the two alone. Mamoru looked to Usagi, who blushed and turned her head.
Mamoru pulled it back towards his with a warm hand. They sat staring in each
other's eyes, saying more with them rather than words.
Suddenly, Mamoru heard a noise coming from outside the room. Footsteps,
he noted. They were coming closer, and closer. He shot up to full height
and got in front of Usagi protectively. As the footsteps grew louder, Mamoru
could see a dark figure approaching.
"Mamo-chan..." Usagi whispered. Pure adrenaline was flowing through
Mamoru's body. He waited for the shadowy figure to enter the room.
Sliding the screen door aside, the figure walked into the room. It was
dark, as a fire was the only source of light. Mamoru and Usagi were equally
surprised as they saw the face of the visitor.
No, not again, Usagi thought.
Without a word, Seiya walked straight up to Mamoru. He noted that one
cheek was bruised, the other swollen. Seiya looked him right into the eye,
until he softened his expression, and bowed humbly before him. "Gomen nasai,
Mamoru-san," he whispered. He didn't raise his body until Mamoru laid a hand
on his shoulder. Returning to full height, Seiya saw him nod, acknowledging
his gesture. Seiya repeated it for Usagi, just as sincerely. He was about
to leave, when she stopped him. They looked at each other for a moment, and
Usagi gave him a hug.
They were friends, nothing more. And finally, they both knew it.
"Arigato..." she whispered. They separated, and Seiya walked out of the
door. Usagi thought she saw a very faint smile on his lips, but it was hard
to tell in the firelight. She watched him leave alone, as Mamoru came up and
put his arm around her. She put her head on his shoulder and sighed. She
was worried for Seiya, but somehow she knew he'd pull through. Some time
later, Mamoru drove Usagi home in his car. The night sky was clear, with the
many stars shining bright. A crescent moon hung itself high above, casting
silvery beams of light on the pair as they sped off into the distance.
Not far away, the Three Lights were trodding home on the moonlit
streets of Tokyo.
"Well?" Taiki asked.
"I did what I had to do. What about you two?"
"If you did, then I might as well." Taiki replied. He looked over to
the third Starlight.
Yaten tossed his head back. "Sure, whatever," he added. He quickly
changed the subject. "Will we ever find it?"
"We have to, we have no choice," Seiya answered.
"And what about Galaxia and the anima-mates?" Taiki questioned.
Seiya's eyes narrowed. "They'll get what's coming to them. We owe
them for what they did to us."
"What happens between us and Usagi, and the rest of the girls?"
Seiya paused in midstep, but continued on. He remained silent for the
remainder of the trip.
--
End of Part Five
Andre Garde (a.k.a. Veritech) | Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Team HQ!
aj113@torfree.net | http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/5991
"Sailor Moon" character names et. al. are Copyright (C) Naoko Takeuchi,
Toei Animation, and Kodansha. In other words, companies with big wallets and
a collection of high-priced lawyers who aren't to be trifled with. The story
is MINE, Copyright (C) 1996 ME, but everything else (the characters, the
names) is theirs, theirs, theirs. Please don't sue me.